St. Tammany Parish Council apparently will maintain current property tax levels

Though the St. Tammany Parish Council will meet next week to consider raising the various property tax rates it sets, the council seems poised to accept a recommendation from Parish President Kevin Davis to keep the rates at the same level next year.

The council met in committee Wednesday night to review next week's regular meeting agenda, which includes an item for a public hearing to discuss a possible tax increase. Council Administrator Mike Sevante told the council that Davis wants to stand pat on taxes in 2010 and is urging the council to vote as such next Thursday night.

Davis reiterated that stance Thursday, a week before the council is set to vote.

"As we did last year, St. Tammany Parish government will not roll its millages forward," he said. "We will present our budget with no increases in millage rates."

Councilman Steve Stefancik, who last week urged the board for the parish's 1st Fire Protection District not to raise taxes, said he plans to follow the recommendation from Davis. The 1st Fire Protection District ultimately chose to roll its millage forward, from 30 to 31, despite pleas against the move from several residents and elected officials who attended the board's Aug. 18 millage meeting.

Councilman Marty Gould seconded the plan, saying he thought it best to keep the millage at the same level as this year. Councilman Gene Bellisario already has let Parish Assessor Patricia Schwarz Core know that he and several other council members would not be voting to raise the millages under their jurisdiction.

The council will discuss several millage rates at Thursday's meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. in the council's chambers at the parish government complex on Koop Drive near Mandeville. Some support parish government or state-mandated expenses, while others support outside agencies.

Residents pay one of two millages to support the parish government's general fund, depending on whether they live in a city or unincorporated St. Tammany, as well as state-mandated expenses, such as the courts. In addition, residents pay separate taxes for other services, such as the parish's drainage system, the animal shelter and public health agencies.

Those who live in a $200,000 home in a city would pay 6.04 mills, or $75.50 annually, for the above services, while those who live in a similar home in the unincorporated area would pay 7.55 mills, or $94.38.

Voters also have approved millages in several special districts, like those for lighting, to support improvements in their neighborhoods.

Other millages flow through parish government, and the associated agencies have to come before the council to request an increase in the current rate. Those agencies include the St. Tammany Parish library system, the Coroner's Office, St. Tammany Association for Retarded Citizens and the Council on Aging St. Tammany.

The parish had to decide weeks ago whether to hold a hearing, though it had not yet received the parish's assessment information, said Leslie Long, the parish's finance director. The fact that a public hearing is scheduled does not mean that the taxing body plans to raise taxes, just that it had to advertise before it knew what the final numbers would be.

Christine Harvey can be reached at charvey@timespicayune.com or 985.645.2853.